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December 21, 2012

Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.

To your family from ours, the warmest of wishes this Christmas. May you have a safe and warm holiday full of wonderful memories.

And all the best in 2013!

Tips and Tricks for a Stress Free Holiday

Are you getting overwhelmed with Christmas just around the corner? Here are some tips to finish off the rest of your holiday preparations.

1. Think Small for your decor, if you haven't decorated yet, think on the smaller scale, perhaps purchase a small potted evergreen, adding a warm and live touch to your holiday decor.

2. Finish your gift wrapping, and while finishing off wrapping your gifts for all of your loved ones, leave off the bows and ribbons. Opting out of these items allows gifts to be more easily stacked, and makes for less stress in transport.

3. Keep some universal gifts on hand. Be it a bottle of sparkling wine, or a box of lovely chocolates, having some small holiday tokens on hand will be a wonderful gesture to those unexpected holiday guests.

4. Make space in advance. Take this weekend to clear out your front hall closet. Not only will you feel as though you have tackled a major organization project in your home. but you will also now have room to house all of the coats that your Christmas guests bring. If you don't have time to do a full overhaul, remember a bed is always a great spot to leave your guests items in a crunch.

5. Tackle your to-do's with friends. Be it wrapping your last gifts, or baking some last minute goodies, a few friends, a bottle of wine, and some laughter makes these holiday tasks all that much more enjoyable.

November 26, 2012

If you're planning to renovate your bathroom in 2013,you can make it a sanctuary of relaxation with the help of Moen's newest shower head, the Halo™.

The Halo™ showerhead delivers a truly luxurious rainshower experience. In addition to three spray settings, it has a unique pivoting outer ring so you can customize your showering experience with up to 60% more coverage than a standard rainshower.

Its clean and modern design makes a style statement in any bathroom.Product features:

November 22, 2012

"One of the newest and hottest design trends hitting the design world is the mixing and matching of colours and patterns," says Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre designerAmanda Willson-Suppa."No longer do you have to pick one pattern and have it be the feature and focal point of your space. Now you can pick three patterns and solid colours to create the look and feel you want in your home."Less is most definitely not more."The rules of years gone by are gone," explains Amanda. "Be daring and pick what you like to make the space your own. Think about placing an upholstered chair with a Moroccan print next to a pinstriped settee."

"This kitchen from House Beautiful illustrates the point perfectly. The blues are bright and fun, the space can be classical and yet still have your personality built in."

Looking for some kitchen or bath design inspiration? We'd be happy to help. Drop by the Monarch showroomand speak with one of our designers, or call905-686-2001 to arrange a consultation.Photo courtesy of housebeautiful.com

November 16, 2012

From Kohler:"The Moxie showerhead + wireless speaker deliver up to 7 hours of music, news and more by pairing wirelessly with your device enabled with Bluetooth® technology. Just you + water + clean, clear sound.

Not to be upstaged, the spray face features 60 angled nozzles that deliver the full, enveloping spray you've come to expect from a Kohler showerhead.

Sync your device enabled with Bluetooth® technology with the wireless speaker from up to 32 feet away, and invite your playlist, podcast or live broadcast into the shower. Plus you can take your music with you anywhere. The Moxie speaker plays wirelessly in or out of the shower, so you can charge it up to use in the kitchen or take to the beach."

November 14, 2012

Do you dread celebrating another Christmas in your outdated kitchen?Don't despair!There is still time to give your kitchen a face lift before having your family and friends over during the holidays.

A new look may be all you need to love your kitchen again. Imagine how much a new countertop and backsplash would change the overall look and feel of your kitchen.Notquite sure what you're looking for? Drop by our showroom for some design inspiration.

"Our designers were all experimenting with cabinet colours and the new samples to come up with beautiful new combinations to propose to our clients," says Marion. "If you are thinking about sprucing up your kitchen with a new countertop before Christmas, you will definitely want to see the new Caesarstone colours and take advantage of our countertop/back splash promotion. Any one of our designers will be happy to help you with the details."

Book with Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Now and SaveWhen you purchase any solid surface countertop for your kitchen between now and December 31st, 2012, receive up to 30 sq. ft. of back splash at no cost. (Valued at up to $10 per sq. ft. Installation not included.)

For more details, drop by our Pickering showroom or call 905-686-2001.

November 9, 2012

Monarch Kitchen and Bath
designers are still drooling over the hundreds of gorgeous tile samples Sarana Tile dropped off over the summer.

Sarana Tile imports a large selection of natural stone,
porcelain, glass, and mosaic products from their suppliers in Europe and around the world. Perfect for your kitchen back splash or any flooring
project, Saranatiles are available in a variety of price ranges and their
selection will blow you away,The newest Sarana Tile sample in Monarch's showroom is Fitch, a porcelain tile which is similar in colour and texture to slate but comes without the high cost and added maintenance. And because it's not as likely to chip, this beautiful textured tile makes an ideal flooring choice for mudrooms, entryways, laundry rooms and kitchens.

Are you looking for the perfect tile for your kitchen or bath renovation? Drop by our showroom at 1020 Brock Road, Unit 6, Pickering. For more information, contact our office at 905-686-2001.

November 6, 2012

In the next few weeks, Monarch designers will be discussing their favourite kitchen and bath design trends for 2013. Before we look forward, let's take a look back at what materials and products NKBA professionals were using during the final months of 2011.

In NKBA’s Winter 2012 newsletter, writer Timothy Captain
summarizes the results of the 2012 NKBA Design Trends Survey. Over 350 NKBA member designers participated in the survey,
citing the materials, product types, and styles they incorporated into their
kitchen and bath designs over the last three months of 2011.

“Their
responses provide insight into design trends that will take hold in the kitchen
and bath market in 2012,” writes Captain.

Here are some highlights from NKBA’s Kitchen and Bath Style
Report:

KITCHENS

Cherry Wood in Decline

Although 80% of NKBA member kitchen designers had recently
specified cherry cabinetry as 2010 approached, that figure dropped to 72% last
year and fell again to 69% heading into 2012.

No one other wood species is taking that market share on its
own, as even maple dropped in popularity this year, falling from 77% last year
to 70% now.

Lesser-used woods are now being specified more often
include oak, (22%); walnut (13%); birch (15%); and bamboo (10%). While alder
is currently specified by 27% of kitchen designers, that figure is down from
30% last year and from 40% two years ago.

Among painted cabinetry, white continues to be the most
popular option (59%), while other colors were specified by only 38% of
designers.

Distressed finishes are making a comeback. Up from 5% to 22%
in the past year.

Glass Backsplashes

More than half of kitchen designers used glass as a
backsplash material, rising from 41% a year ago to 52% now. This trails only
natural stone tile at 60% and ceramic tile (including porcelain), which has
been specified of late by some 74% of designers.

Ceramic tile backsplashes are on the decline, as they stood
at 78% a year ago and 88% two years ago.

Other popular backsplash materials are granite at 30% and
quartz at 20%. The popularity of these materials as backsplashes is due to
their high use as countertop materials.

LED Lighting

LED lighting was specified by 70% of NKBA member kitchen
designers, up from 50% in 2010.

The use of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), which use
roughly a quarter the energy of an incandescent bulb while producing the same
amount of light, has dropped to 36% (from 26% in 2010). The drop is believed to
be a result of the poor color of the light they produce and the presence of
mercury in the bulbs.

Pull-Out Faucets

The use of pull-out faucets has increased from 88% to 93% in
the past three years. In other words, 14 of out every 15 designers who designed
a kitchen over the final three months of 2011 incorporated a pull-out faucet.

BATHROOMS

Medicine Cabinets

Practicality has won out and medicine cabinets are making a comeback. After
being specified by 43% of NKBA member bathroom designers leading into 2010,
medicine cabinets dropped to 36% last year. However, as designers entered 2012, some 66% had recently incorporated a medicine cabinet into a bathroom remodel.

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

Transitional Over Traditional

“For the first time since the NKBA began tracking annual
design trends, traditional is no longer the most popular type of design,”
writes Captain. “In both the kitchen and the bathroom, transitional is now the
most common style. While the traditional style has consistently been used by
roughly three quarters of NKBA member designers in both the kitchen and the
bath, that figure fell to 58% in kitchens and 59% in bathrooms this year.

"Contemporary is the next most common style, up
5% to 52% in kitchens and up 10% to 53% in bathrooms from a year ago. Shaker,
arts and crafts, and cottage remain the next most frequently used styles.”

Solid Surfaces

The use of solid surfaces in the kitchen had continued to
rise, up from 11% in 2010 to 30% of designers for use in kitchens.

Granite (91%
for kitchens; 71% for bathrooms) and quartz (69% for kitchens; 53% for
bathrooms) continue to be the top two choices/

Marble is currently the third most popular vanity top
material at 41%, up 3% from a year ago. The use of glass vanity tops has more
than doubled over the past two years, from 5% heading into 2010 to 11% today.

Shades of Gray

Designers chose gray as the color scheme of choice in 33% of
their kitchen redesigns and 40% of their bathroom remodels.

Whites and off-whites continue to be the most popular color
schemes for both the kitchen and bathroom, followed by beiges and bones. Brown
is the third most popular color in kitchens and the fourth most popular in
bathrooms, just behind gray.

In the kitchen, bronzes/terracottas have risen over the past
two years from 20% to 25% to 31%, while greens have increased from 18% two
years ago to 32% today.

Polished Chrome is Back

In the kitchen, polished chrome has recently been specified
by 52% of NKBA member designers, while in the bathroom, its use has increased
from 46% to 65% over the past year. At the same time, polished nickel is up
from 17% to 25% in kitchens and from 28% to 32% in bathrooms.

The use of stainless steel rose slightly from 46% to 50% in
the kitchen and increased significantly from 16% to 28% in the bathroom. Bronze
finishes, although popular, dipped a bit from a year ago, falling from 49% to
41% in kitchens, while their use remained flat at 41% in bathrooms.

November 2, 2012

Are you guilty of spoiling friends and loved ones before treating yourself to something special?

If you don't think you are -- think again -- but this time, consider how you decorate your own home.

Often we overlook the areas of our home that only we see, choosing to spend our decorating and design dollars on updating the rooms where we entertain our guests.

Does this make sense?

Wespend more
than eight hours each day in our bedrooms and master bathrooms, and yet they are usually the most overlooked and under-decorated rooms in a home.

Thiswas the case in our client's 4,500 sq.ft. Pickering home.
The tired and out-of-date master suite was just that, and it was time for a
makeover.

Their current bathroom features a tiny 30x30-inch closed-in box-style shower; a huge vanity with only one sink;
tired wallpaper; and an outdated Jacuzzi-style tub that is lacking in the
energy-efficiency department. Totop it all off, the stairs into the tub are carpeted.

The team at Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre has
undertaken this master suite renovation, and no dream is being overlooked.

The new bath design will
include:

a 4x4-foot glass shower enclosure with GROHE flow-wise fixtures;

a luxury MAAX soaker tub;

an updated vanity which will include two sinks
and functional storage;

more energy efficient and stylish lighting fixtures.

Make sure you check back soon to see the stunning results of this master suite makeover.

October 31, 2012

A review by Shawn Fryer of Toronto, posted October 21, 2012 on HomeStars.

The excellent staff at Monarch gave us the best quality of service from the time we walked in the door to the time the job was finished. We received a great design, honest and frequent communication and great care to meet our needs in a timely manner. Kevin, Neil, Melissa, Kelly, Rick, Clint, and Roland were all friendly, informative, and efficient, leaving no detail too small. I would highly recommend Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre to anyone who wants a company with integrity, creativity, and great customer service. Thank you for helping to make our home more beautiful.

October 26, 2012

Your kitchen or bath renovation is complete, your appliances have been delivered and you're ready for the final step: choosing the perfect paint colour to tie all of the elements of your new space together. If you're finding it a difficult task, you're not alone.

Cambria, a leader in quartz countertop design, has partnered with Benjamin Moore to simplify the final stage of thekitchen or bath design process.

The perfect tool for homeowners and designers alike, every
Cambria design has been meticulously paired with four complementary
Benjamin Moore colors.

"Cambria and Benjamin Moore have joined forces to make designer color
selection easy. Benjamin Moore's design experts have paired four wall
covering shades to every Cambria design, allowing you to match your
Cambria designs to paint colors that are as rich and beautiful as the
countertops themselves.

Now with more than 100 designs to choose from, Cambria is the
industry leader in quartz countertops. Cambria and Benjamin Moore share
the same deep commitment to quality and color innovation, with a
constant and consistent focus on future design trends."

October 23, 2012

There's
no avoiding it. No matter how you try to steer people out of your
kitchen, as the heart of the home, it is where guests feel the most
comfortable.If you're dreading the idea of celebrating another Christmas in your outdated kitchen, don't despair! There is still time to give your kitchen a face lift before having your family and friends over during the holidays.Give Yourself the Gift of a New Countertop and BacksplashImagine how much a new countertop and backsplash would change the overall look and feel of your kitchen. A new look may be all you need to love your kitchen again, so give the designers at Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre a chance to refresh your space in time for the holidays.

Book with Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Now and SaveWhen you purchase any solid surface countertop for your kitchen between now and December 31st, 2012, receive up to 30 sq. ft. of backsplash at no cost.(Valued at up to $10 per sq. ft. Installation not included.)

October 17, 2012

At Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre, we understand that major renovations -- particularly those which involve the kitchen area --involve a large amount of upheaval and stress.

We've found that one of the largest stress factors for homeowners during a renovation is dust management. In other words, finding a way to keep the dust generated during the tear down and rebuilding process confined to the space. Our teamworks hard to alleviate as much of your stress as possible. In the picture below, you'll notice we have completely encapsulated the renovation area: all doorways leading out of the kitchen are closed off and all cold air returns blocked.

If you look at the opening on the left, you will see a zippered door which allows the homeowners access to their living room and temporary kitchen in the dining room.

Another zippered
door (not pictured) closes off the space and restricts access to the upper level; this ensures dust does not enter the sleeping areas of
the home.This dust management system has proven very effective in keeping the dust particles within the work
area, and minimizes the effects on the rest of the home.

“We
now do this for every renovation project that we undertake," says Monarch president Neil Samson. "We care about your
home and your well being."Are youconsidering a kitchen or bath renovation?Visit our new website at www.mkbi.com to learn more, or call 905-686-2001.

“There will be profound changes in the age structure of the Canadian population over the next 25 years. These changes will transform our communities and significantly affect housing. Population aging is taking place in a society that is being reshaped by a range of remarkable demographic and socio-economic trends. These include changes in family size and structure, increasing numbers of immigrants with family traditions very different from those of earlier generations, a growing number of persons living alone and new urban dynamics with increased concern for sustainability in the face of urban sprawl.

Other significant trends include the intent of many of today’s near retirees to continue working beyond the traditional retirement age, the increasing participation by women in the workforce and the tendency of young adults to stay longer in their parents’ homes.

An aging population will change the pattern of housing needs and preferences, alter the nature of the demand for services, change transportation requirements, accentuate the need for making communities more responsive to people with disabilities and challenge existing neighbourhood design and community planning practices.

The increasing desire of seniors to “age in place” (that is, to continue to live in their current home and familiar community for as long as possible, even if their health changes) will have major policy implications for housing andcommunities. It will create a need for housing adaptations and other supports; for more innovative housing options; and for planning and zoning changes.”

Below are two videos which illustrate some of the options available to help you live safely in your home for as long as possible. If you're considering renovating your home as you age in place, drop by our Pickeringshowroom or make an appointment with a member of our design team by calling 905-686-2001.

October 11, 2012

Designer Mick De Giulio takes us on a tour of his winning kitchen design in House Beautiful's Kitchen of the Year, on display in New York City's Rockefeller Center.While your kitchen may not be this spacious -- or your budget this flexible -- watching videos like these are the perfect way to find those "can't live without" items or ideas you can incorporate into your new kitchen design.

Mr. De Gioulio's philosophy for creating his winning kitchen design reminded us of our own:"The thing I want people to take away from this kitchen is the idea of liveablity. If you have a great space to work in...a great space to live in...that's everything," explains Mr. De Giulio. "Because people, no matter how you try to redirect them to other rooms
in the house, they end up in the kitchen. So why not have a great
kitchen to live in?"

October 4, 2012

As a company whose primary focus is helping our clients' look good, we fell a bit behind in following our own design advice!This week, we launched our newly "renovated" website at www.mkbi.com. If you haven't stopped by for a while, please take a few minutes to check out our new look and peruse the updated pictures and profiles of our design team.If you're thinking about a kitchen or bath renovation, you'll want to take some time to go through our image galleries -- their chock full of beautifully transformed spaces.

If you're unsure of how the entire design process works, our FAQ section will help you to understand how your renovation will proceed. And if you have a question that the content on our site doesn't answer, you can fill out our "Ask a Question" form and someone on our design team will get back to you quickly.Of course, as happy as we are with our new website, there is no substitute for discussing your design needs in person.

Thanks to your commitment and support, over $30 million was raised across Canada for relevant breast cancer research, risk reduction, education, community care and advocacy initiatives to improve the lives of Canadians affected by breast cancer.